human right

noun

: a basic right (such as the right to be treated well or the right to vote) that many societies believe every person should have
They believe that freedom of speech is a basic human right.
The defendant was deprived of his human rights.
human rights violations

Examples of human right in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Sufficient access to clean, reliable, affordable drinking water is a human right, though, and the United Nations has urged governments to funnel resources toward building and maintaining water infrastructure. Celia Ford, Vox, 15 Aug. 2024 Drink Water Access to clean drinking water should be a basic human right, but traveling to certain parts of the world will show you how inaccessible this vital resource can be. Alysse Dalessandro, Health, 13 Aug. 2024 Housing: a ‘human right’ Christ is proud of her relentless efforts to build housing at Berkeley’s iconic People’s Park, ultimately prevailing over years of lawsuits and protests. Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2024 Access to safe and affordable water is a fundamental human right. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Being able to access health care is a fundamental human right, and medical schools need to step up and lead the charge in guaranteeing that right. Amelia Mercado and J. Wesley Boyd, STAT, 25 Sep. 2023 At the heart of the lawsuit is the basic and fundamental human right to clean and safe drinking water, said the plaintiff’s lawyers. Dorany Pineda, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2023 Abandoning public pools Gaining entry to swimming pools was a top priority for civil rights groups, who saw recreation as a fundamental human right. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 22 July 2023 Pleasure is a fundamental human right that was long reserved for men. Dr. Catalina Lawsin, USA TODAY, 10 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'human right.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near human right

Cite this Entry

“Human right.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/human%20right. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!